There's a reason the Lions are so slow to sign their rookies

ALLEN PARK -- You've probably noticed that several teams are signing some of their lower round draft picks while the Detroit Lions have failed to sign a single one. There's a reason for that -- roster spots.

Because unsigned rookie draft picks don't count against the 80-man off-season roster until they're signed, the Lions can actually have 86 players on their roster for all of the off-season workouts, minicamps and Organized Team Activities. It allows the Lions to take a longer look at some players they might want to keep.

After the Lions' minicamp June 23-25, the off-season activities will end and that's when Lions president Tom Lewand will start signing some of the draft picks. The players will report to training camp on July 30 and rookies must have a signed contract before they're allowed to participate in any team activities.